US airline can ban passengers who do not wear headphones for audio - French flights impacted
New ‘headphone policy’ comes amid expansion of online WiFi services
Travellers who do not comply with the rules may be banned from future flights
Vytautas Kielaitis/Shutterstock
Passengers on a United Airlines flight who refuse to wear headphones risk a permanent ban from future flights with the operator, including services to France.
United Airlines updated its terms and conditions last month to state “passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content” are eligible to face refusal of transport.
Refusal of transport includes the airline “the right to refuse transport on a permanent or temporary basis or… the right to remove [a passenger] from the aircraft,” United policy states.
Confirming the policy to media outlet USA Today, the airline pointed towards its online WiFi expansion, which makes it easier for passengers to stream social media and audio content when flights are airbound.
“With the expansion of Starlink, it seemed like a good time to make that even clearer by adding it to the contract of carriage,” it said.
The airline also states on its website that passengers can request free earbuds where available on flights.
The rules apply to all passengers, who must agree to the terms and conditions when purchasing their tickets.
The airline currently operates two routes from the US to France, to Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport and a seasonal flight to Nice.
Recently, a train passenger in France was fined €200 for listening to videos on his social media account on a train without using headphones.
